1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of devices used to restore hearing loss and in particular, to the field of garments to be worn to at least partially conceal the exterior portion of the device and helps prevent elements of the device from entanglement, dislodgment and snags.
This invention involves a specialty apparel accessory to be used with an innovation which has already been developed. The human ear has an outer drum comprising an ear canal which leads to the eardrum. The middle ear has middle ear bones. The inner ear has cochlea and the auditory nerve. Sound enters the ear canal and travels to the eardrum. The sound waves cause the eardrum to vibrate sending the bones in the middle ear into motion. Tiny hairs inside the inner ear (cochlea) convert this motion into electric impulses/signals. These impulses/signals go up to the hearing (auditory) nerve to the brain. The brain interprets the impulses/signals as sound and gives meaning to the information. One device that helps treat hearing loss is a cochlear implant.
One disability that people face is that they have a hearing loss either through birth or through an accident where the middle ear is damaged and therefore they cannot hear. People suffering from hearing loss can benefit from cochlear implants. Cochlear implants consist of both internal and external devices where a device is implanted within the cochlea on either side of the skull, bypassing the middle ear to stimulate the auditory nerve. On the outside of the person's head are magnetic microphones which are magnetically attached to an internal implant. The external microphones are connected to sound cords/wires that extend to an external driving unit/sound processor. Each driving unit/sound processor is programmed specifically to its respective internal processor implanted in the cochlea. A specific driving unit/sound processor can not be interchanged between each side of the head of the same person or with another person's implant. These external elements are expensive and unique to the individual cochlea and the design of their respective manufacturers. Therefore, they must be portable. The area of the present invention is to retain and conceal as much of the external portion of the hearing restoration device as possible to help prevent entanglement, dislodgement or snags, and be compatible with different manufacturer designs.
In some devices, the driving unit and the sound processor unit are together in a combined unit. In other devices, the sound processor is a separate unit retained behind the individual's ear and is hard wired to a separate driving unit.
Existing accessories today that hold the eternal portions of the device do not adequately retain and conceal the external driving unit/sound processor and its wires to help protect against inadvertent entanglements, dislodgement and snags particularly during physical activity such as swimming, bike riding, running etc.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The following 15 patents and published patent applications are the closest prior art to the present invention.
1. United States Published Patent Application No. 2003/0074712 to Sheng Hsin Liao on Apr. 24, 2003 for “Clothes Having Detachable Hidden Communication Wire” (hereafter the “Liao Published Patent Application”);
2. United States Published Patent Application No. 2003/0144039 to Yung Fang Lin on Jul. 31, 2003 for “Communication Cord Pathway Concealed Clothes” (hereafter the “Lin Published Patent Application”);
3. United States Published Patent Application No. 2006/0099864 to Scott Crumine et al. on May 11, 2006 for “Life Vest With Integrated Audio Device and Method of Use” (hereafter the “Crumine Published Patent Application”);
4. United States Published Patent Application No. 2006/0280322 to Kaho Abe on Dec. 14, 2006 for “Discreet Interface System” (hereafter the “Abe Published Patent Application”);
5. United States Published Patent Application No. 2007/0245444 to William Brink on Oct. 25, 2007 for “Specialty Clothing Designed To Hold Portable Electronic Devices” (hereafter the “Brink Published Patent Application”);
6. U.S. Pat. No. 7,364,491 issued to Lauren Grace Updyke on Apr. 29, 2008 for “Sports Bra with Secure Pocket and Electronic Device Cord Securing Opening and Loop” (hereafter the “Updyke Patent”);
7. U.S. Pat. No. 7,519,192 issued to Logan Laycock et al. on Apr. 14, 2009 for “Wired Clothing and Earphones” (hereafter the “Laycock Patent”);
8. United States Published Patent Application No. 2009/0094725 to Stephen Smith et al. on Apr. 16, 2009 for “Clothing For Use With Personal Electronic Listening Devices” (hereafter the “Smith Published Patent Application”);
9. U.S. Pat. No. 7,673,348 issued to Herman Williams on Mar. 9, 2010 for “User Wearable Wire Control System” (hereafter the “Williams Patent”);
10. U.S. Pat. No. 8,107,653 issued to James Wolfe on Jan. 31, 2012 for “Garment With Built-in Audio Source Wiring” (hereafter the “Wolfe Patent”);
11. United States Published Patent Application No. 2012/0060260 to Edmund T. Kochling on Mar. 15, 2012 for “Pocketed Garment” (hereafter the “Kochling Published Patent Application”);
12. United States Published Patent Application No. 2013/0044908 to Lawrence Mark Gottlieb on Feb. 21, 2013 for “Apparel With Built-In Headphone Extension Wire Device” (hereafter the “Gottlieb Published Patent Application”);
13. U.S. Pat. No. 8,411,891 issued to Anontino Del Prete on Apr. 2, 2013 for “Garment With Integrated Earphones” (hereafter the “Del Prete Patent”);
14. U.S. Design Pat. No. D688,849 issued to Edmund T. Kochling on Sep. 3, 2013 for “Shirt with Pocket” (hereafter the “Kochling Design Patent”);
15. Chinese Patent No. CN201107863Y issued to Jiang Tao and assigned to Sichuan Micro-DSP Digital Technology Co., Ltd. on Aug. 27, 2008 for “Hearing Aid Concealed in Clothes” (hereafter the “Tao Chinese Patent”).
The Liao Published Patent Application discloses the concept of having a communication wire that is protected by being placed in longitudinal channels within a garment such as a jacket or shirt. The shirt or jacket has detachable hidden communication wires.
The Lin Published Patent Application discloses the concept of a communication device concealed within clothing. The patent application discloses:                “Communication cord pathway concealed clothes conceals a communication pathway along a sleeve or other seamed edges of clothes with both ends opened near the user's side and pocket where an earphone and a microphone is connected to the upper end of a communication cord laid in the pathway; while a cellular phone of various brands or other electronic device is connected to the lower end of said cord thereby forming a communication circuit. The user may use the cellular phone or the like conveniently and securely without the fear of the cord to twine around things nearby causing the cellular phone to drop down on the ground.”        
The Crumrine Published Patent Application discloses:                “A life vest is adapted to retain or hold a waterproof audio playback device so that a wearer of the life vest when engaging in water-related activities can listen to audio playback. The life vest can utilize pockets or device holders to integrate the audio playback device, and can also integrate one or more lead wires of the audio playback device into the vest.”        
The Abe Published Patent Application discloses:                “The present invention relates generally to a system for interfacing electronic devices with at least one garment. In particular, the invention pertains to a washable system for interfacing electronic devices with at least one garment wherein the system includes at least one connector, a conductive material, and at least one user interface.”        
The Brink Published Patent Application discloses specialty clothing designed to hold portable electronic devices such as a radio, iPod player, etc. In general, the patent application discloses:                “The present invention relates generally to clothing and more specifically to garments designed and customized to securely restrain portable electronic devices. The clothing has at least one pocket that may be specifically sized to a known electronic device shape or may be adjustable to devices of various shapes to provide a snug, secure and, safe environment for the electronic device and any electronic device accessories. The pocket also may contain a channel leading from the pocket to one or more openings near the top of the garment to allow for access to headphones. Further, channels may lead from one pocket to one or more additional pockets to allow for interconnectivity between an electronic device and an electronic device accessory. The internal channels may also contain a strap to secure wires associated with a portable electronic device or accessory in place.”        
The Updyke Patent discloses:                “A combination sports bra and secure pocket garment has a front mounted three section pocket with a single zipper closure. A cord hole in the pocket and a cord loop on the bra enables a cord to be retained from an electronic device in the closed pocket to a headset on the wearer.”        
The Laycock Patent discloses the following key features:                “The present invention provides for various embodiments of a combined garment and earphones. The combined garment and earphones includes a garment having a series of elongate internal passageways. Partially enclosed within the series of elongate internal passageways is a conductive wire assembly. The conductive wire assembly includes a first length of wire leading to at least one earpiece having a transducer for emitting audio into a user's ear, and a second length of wire leading to a connector configured to be communicatively coupled to an audio device. Finally, a retractable dial is coupled to the garment, wherein a portion of the conductive wire assembly travels through the retractable dial. The retractable dial is configured to selectively retract at least a portion of the first end of the conductive wire assembly.”        
The Smith Published Patent Application discloses:                “An article of clothing for supporting a personal electronic listening device comprised off at least one pocket on the clothing, each pocket having at least one pocket aperture to allow an earpiece cord of the personal electronic listening device to pass from inside the pocket to outside of the clothing, and at least one clothing aperture on the clothing, each clothing aperture allowing the earpiece cord to pass from outside to inside the clothing and to on or near the wearer's head. The pocket can further include a cover flap to temporarily close the opening and the cover flap can further include a fastening member to temporarily secure the cover flap to the body of the pocket.”        
The Williams Patent discloses a user wearable wire control system. Specifically, the patent discloses:                “A user wearable wire control system and associated processes that can be utilized to control a dangling wire along a user's body. The user wearable wire control system includes a first layer and second layer that are configured to form a sleeve with a hollow portion disposed therein. The sleeve is adapted to encase a least a portion of a wire. The sleeve includes a first aperture at a first end portion configured to allow at least a portion of the wire to enter the sleeve and a second aperture at a second end portion configured to allow at least a portion of the wire to exit the sleeve. As such, a wire that would otherwise dangle loosely along the body of a user may be at least partially encased in the sleeve and may reduce the danger and/or inconvenience of a dangling wire.”        
The Wolfe Patent discloses a garment with built-in audio source wiring. Specifically, the patent discloses:                “An audio source device may be used with a garment such as a hooded garment by passing the audio wires into a channel in the hood and having them exit the hood inside hollow lanyards with earbuds at the ends. A means to fix the wires and the lanyards to each other inside the hood is shown; and a means is shown to prevent lateral movement inside the hood.”        
The Kochling Published Patent Application discloses a pocketed garment. Specifically, the patent discloses:                “A pocketed garment dimensioned to cover at least a portion of a torso of a person. According to one embodiment, the garment is a shirt, and a pocket is positioned on the rear exterior of the shirt. The pocket includes a first opening for insertion of a portable entertainment device into the pocket. The pocket also includes a second opening through which headphone wires, connected to the portable entertainment device, may be passed.”        
The Gotlieb Published Patent Application discloses:                “The present invention provides for the embodiments for a combined apparel and conductive extension wire assembly to bridge connectivity between a portable audio listening devices and transducers that emit audio sounds. The combined garment and extension wire assembly comprises of a garment (such as a shirt, jacket, cap, etc.) having an electrical wire with a connector on one end positioned within the interior of a garment pocket for conductive connectivity to the audio output of a portable listening device held within said pocket. The extension wire assembly shall channel through the interior of the garment through passageways or within garment seams, extending to garment apertures wherein a left and right channel wire shall respectively pass through and exit the apparel fabric having each wire ending with a connector enabling further conductive connectivity respectively to left and right channel transducers emitting audio sounds.”        
The Del Prete Patent discloses a garment with integrated earphones. Specifically, the patent discloses:                “The invention is a garment with an integrated earphone, headset, and wire. The wire allows an audio signal to travel from an electronic device at one end of the wire to the earphone or earphones, and/or a microphone at the other end of the wire. The wire, or wires, is preferably permanently sewn into the seams of the garment. The earphone may be retractable and/or kept in a small pocket near the collar of the garment to limit the movement of the earphone when it is not being actively used. The integrated earphone and microphone are preferably machine washable and dryable along with the garment with which they are integrated.”        
The Kochling Design Patent discloses the shape or ornamental features of the device which is disclosed in the published application to Kochling 2012/0060260.
The Tao Chinese Patent discloses:                “The utility model provides a hearing aid which is hidden in a coat and relates to the hearing auxiliary equipment technology field. The hearing aid includes a signal collector, a signal transmission line, a hearing aid processor and a headphone. The signal collector is arranged on the upper part of the coat. The hearing aid processor is arranged on the coat and is communicated with the signal collector through the signal transmission line. The hearing aid is simultaneously provided with the functions of the hearing aid and the coat and is especially applicable to the aged and the disabled with hearing loss and inconvenient action.”        